Lighting Director Ken Milder, left, discusses a technical detail with Director Kathi Collins during rehearsal for ‘The Glitter Girls’. Photo by Rich Hassman
Review By BONNIE J. GORDON
Los Alamos Daily Post
bjgordon@ladailypost.com
Los Alamos Little Theater’s production of “The Glitter Girls”, opened Friday, March 6 and will continue at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through March 21, with a matinee at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 15.
Santa Fe playwright and Tennessee native Mark Dunn gives us a Southern fried comedy in which Trudy Tromaine wants to give $16 million of her fortune to one of the members of her ad hoc sorority, “The Glitter Girls”.
She wants the group themselves to decide which “girl” gets the “glitter”.
Of course much fighting and backstabbing ensues, most of it funny and some of it touching.
The Glitter Girls care about each other (well mostly) in spite of their faults. The play is a combination of “Steel Magnolias” and “Survivor”.
Pat Beck plays Trudy, who is in it for the fun, but also wants to control and test her friends.
In a part that isn’t always likable, Beck does a good job bringing out Trudy’s pazazz as well as her mean streak.
John Gustafson is another good actor with a challenging role. He plays Trudy’s maid, Arpege Lacroix, a man who is disguising himself as a woman to evade discovery. Gustafson brings heart to the over the top Arpege. His costumes are great and he can walk in heels! He’s funny without being ridiculous.
Also good is Andee Baker who plays everyone’s favorite teacher, Mayvonne Rausch. Her civility and even handedness come through in Baker’s portrayal.
Valerie Lawdensky (as Patty Wesley) and Alexander Nunn (as Charlie Seaburn), children standing in for Glitter Girl moms, are charming as young lovers, discovering that the other one likes them back.
Julia Mundt plays Flossie Price, a back-woodsy reminder of Trudy’s past. She gets a lot of funny lines and clearly has a heart of gold, which Mundt captures. The rest of the Glitter Girls do a good job with their characters as well.
Jonelle Duvall as the kind if slutty Valerie Fairhope, Jeanne Adkins as the sharp-tongued Mamie Ewing, and Gwen Lewis as the warm-hearted if slightly dull-witted Corrine Culvert all bring some sparkle to their roles. Honorary Glitter Girl Dowd Foster is played by Michael Adkins with a lot of heart and a touch of bashfulness.
Able direction by Kathi Collins, keeps the action moving. The play is a bit long, so this is appreciated.
Some of my favorite bits were the Jeopardy music that plays during the voting and other musical touches.
If you need a few laughs, and who doesn’t these days, head on over to the LALT’s performance space for an evening of fun with “The Glitter Girls”.
